TroposchemmalogiaTroposchēmalogia

Thirdly; That you may prevent the Evil and Inconvenience that follows the Neglect of this Duty, it concerns you cheerfully to practise it: I might have said, Evils and Inconveniences, as of many, for many there are, and those of easy observation to an unprejudiced Eye; but it is the Discouragement of Study, which at present I chiefly aim at. That Study must needs be discouraged, (I intend the Study of Theology) by the Peoples Neglect to make a comfortable Provision for their Ministers, is too evident to require a Proof. Who will apply himself to gather and lay up those Stores of solid Learning, which are needful to a Minister, when he can expect to purchase nothing to himself but Poverty and Distress thereby? Or, how shall a Minister be capabl• to furnish himself with universal Knowledge of Things relating to his Work, that hath no means for providing for his own Information, or no Time free from Cares and worldly Business? And the Disadvantage of this will at last fall to the Share of the People that he ministers unto. He that considers, that the holy Scriptures were originally written in Hebrew and Greek, must have an hard Forehead, if he deny the Usefulness of Learning to a Minister; besides, many other things there are that call for it, in reference to the opening of the Scriptures, which I cannot now insist upon. And it is not without diligent and continued Study, that the deep Things of God can be searched out, and so proposed to you, as to enrich your Minds with the clear and solid Knowledge of them. I confess, a little Learning, and less Study, may furnish a Man with such a Discourse, as may please some weak Persons, ⟨p. 262⟩that judg of a Sermon by the Loudness of the Voice, and affectionate Sentences, or can fancy themselves to be fed with the Ashes of jingling Words, and Cadency of Terms in a Discourse. But alas! the seeming Warmth of Affection that is stirred by such Means, is as short-lived, as a Land-flood that hath no Spring to feed it. He that will do the Souls of his People good, and approve himself a Pastor after God's own Heart, must feed them with Knowledge and Understanding, and endeavour to maintain a constant Zeal and Affection in them, by well informing their Judgments, and such an opening of the Mind of God from the Scriptures, as may command their Consciences:

Thirdly; That you may prevent the Evil and Inconvenience that follows the Neglect of this Duty, it concerns you cheerfully to practise it: I might have said, Evils and Inconveniences, as of many, for many there are, and those of easy observation to an uprejudiced Eye; but it is the Discouragement of Study, which at present I chiefly aim at. That Study must needs be discouraged, (I intend the Study of Theology) by the Peoples Neglect to make a comfortable Provision for their Ministers, is too evident to require a Proof. Who will apply himself to gather and lay up those Stores of solid Learning, which are needful to a Minister, when he can expect to purchase nothing to himself but Poverty and Distress thereby? Or, how shall a Minister be capabl to furnish himself with universal Knowledg of Things relating to his Work, that hath no means for providing for his own Information, or no Time free from Cares and worldly Business? And the Disadvantage of this will at last fall to the Share of the People that he ministers unto. He that considers, that the holy Scriptures were originally written in Hebrew and Greek, must have an hard Forehead, if he deny the Usefulness of Learning to a Minister; besides, many other things there are that call for it, in reference to the opening of the Scriptures, which I cannot now insist upon. And it is not without diligent and continued Study, that the deep Things of God can be searched out, and so proposed to you, as to enrich your Minds with the clear and solid Knowledg of them. I confess, a little Learning, and less Study, may furnish a Man with such a Discourse, as may please some weak Persons,